Home Videos
by Ani-SanO.o
Summary: Kagome's late... again, which means Inuyasha has to go down the well to get her. But when he stumbles on Kagome and her family watching some old home videos, he sees a side of Kagome's life he never thought he would. Just a little fluffy one-shot. Rated for language.


**Home Videos**

 **This is just a bit of fluff I thought up. I don't think anyone got to see enough of Kagome's life.**

She was late... again. But she was fucking mad if she thought he wasn't going to drag her ass back through the well. _Always making me go outta my way just 'cause that wench can never be on time._ Inuyasha thought as his features were transformed by his annoyance. Though his frustrations weren't all just because he found her unreliable, which he did. No, as much as he tried to shove it down, he always ended up feeling the fear bite at him. The fear that Kagome Higurashi would one day realize what a waste Inuyasha was and how much better off she would be without him.

His insides would whisper devastating rumors that the girl would learn to despise him. No one could really want to be with him, right? It was just a matter of time before she decided to never return, right? Or at least that's what he thought, though he quickly masked those feelings with more agitation and fake confidence. Yeah, it felt better to focus all his emotions on how unreliable she was. _What a no-good wench._

The hanyou stormed off into the forest, towards the Bone Eater's Well, his feet pounding against the earth like meteors crashing down. He continued to sniff the air, hoping that he would pick up on her scent as she got out of the well. But it didn't happen. She had not yet crossed over into his time. And it had already been an hour after she said she would be back. He was definitely going to stick it to her good this time. No more going back home. Even if it meant enduring all the dirty looks he would surely receive from his companions, who weren't shy enough not to speak their minds about the way he treated Kagome. But he'd prefer anger than the mocking ridicule he believed he would receive if he divulged in his own insecurities. He had to be more of a man.

When the half-demon saw the well, he bolted even faster towards it, leaping through without hesitation, at a speed that rivaled light itself.

"Keh, that bitch is still in her house!" He fumed as he hopped out and into the Higurashi shrine, his sense of smell relaying to him the information that Kagome, as well as her family, were all inside their home, close enough to each other for him to determine they were all in the same room, or at least the same floor. This only meant that, odds are, Kagome couldn't even blame her lateness on school or what the hell ever she always said. She was probably taking her time eating dinner or something.

He didn't take his time marching out of the shrine and into the outdoors, the sky stained a beautiful pink and orange above like a painting, the colors blending together perfectly. It was now evening, and he could feel the calm air surround him. He found it harder and harder to continue radiating frustration, though his deep resolve allowed him to maintain his offputting demeanor. He stomped on over to the sliding door, which he always used when barging in, and pulled the handle dramatically, his bottom lip poking out in aggravation. He could hear laughing coming from the other room, the one he knew the family spent much time in together, since it had all that fancy seating. The living room, was it? It was a dumb name because they were alive in every room, not that he took the time to argue that. His brow twitched as he realized they weren't even eating dinner. Though the house flaunted the scent of a home cooked meal, as he walked through the kitchen, he could see a plethora of used plates sitting in what she had called the sink. If she had eaten, then what could be taking her so long.

That's when he heard a man's voice booming from the other room, calling Kagome's name. It was a voice he had never heard before, the happy tone ringing in his ear. _Who the hell could that be?_ Inuyasha thought to himself before growling inwardly and marching off into the other room. As if he was going to let some other man make Kagome late.

"Kagome, why ain't you back-huh?" Inuyasha was interrupted by the sight of a man who looked like an older version of Souta on the magic box Kagome had showed him, the one that showed all the moving pictures.

Kagome was startled by the shouting hanyou, though she had half expected him to come looking for her. She jumped up from where she sat, which had been between her mom and Souta on the couch in front of the TV, while her Grandpa was sitting cross legged on the ground as he always did. She turned to face the perplexed hanyou, who was now starimg blankly at the screen.

"Oh, Inuyasha! I figured you'd come!" She greeted, though his eyes were glued. The man had just picked up a small, familiar looking girl and called her Kagome, playfully tossing her into the air and catching her as she laughed.

Kagome's eyes went back and forth from the silver haired man to the TV screen, noting just how enveloped he was. He had barely even listened to her, but even more, he had stopped yelling at her, which she had grown to believe was one of his favorite pastimes.

"What... is this? Why does that guy look like your kid brother?" He questioned thoughtfully, "And why did he just call that little girl Kagome?"

The priestess stifled a laugh before grabbing his wrist and leading him to the couch, Souta and Mama Higurashi moving to make space for the two. They both sat, Inuyasha cocking his brow as he awaited an explanation, though the plain childlike curiosity was written all over his face.

"Im my time, we have these things called home videos. Basically, someone gets a camera and the camera records what's happening in front of it. Then if you take what the camera recorded and put it on the television, it comes out as moving pictures." She began explaining, "So if I took a camera and recorded you right now and then put it on the television, you would see yourself on that screen."

He nodded slightly, understanding the basic concept, though still very unsure of how to really feel about it. He didn't want to be on that screen. That would just be weird. I mean, he was right on the couch, so why would they want him on the magic box?

"So, a long time ago, my mom got a camera and began recording us so that we could always go back and see it." She lifted her hand and pointed at the older man, "That's my dad." She then shifted and pointed to the little girl, "And that's me."

He tensed up a bit, never having really asked about her father who was never around. He hated talking about his parents and the loss he endured, so he had never really felt that it was his place to pry. But there the man was, playing and laughing with a tiny Kagome who could barely walk. They were outside and the child was giggling, pointing at the colorful parts of nature in awe, then taking a few moments to lean her head on her father's shoulder as he held her.

"How old were you?" He asked, not even trying to mask his curiosity now.

"I was almost two. Souta hadn't even been born yet." She giggled, now completely entertained by the hanyou's inexperience with modern technology, as well as his fascination with this video of her and her father.

"Hey princess. Wanna say hi to mommy?" Her father cooed in the video, pointing right at the camera as he did, and young Kagome's eyes followed until she was gazing at the lens, then flashed a big smile and giggled, waving her hand around in an attempt to wave.

"Princess? Why did he call you princess?" Inuyasha mumbled, not understanding much of the lingo of the time. The only time people called others princesses was if they were actual princesses or if they were beautiful and men wanted to court them. And he was sure it wasn't the latter since it was her father and she was just a toddler. But then again, he was also sure Kagome wasn't a real princess. Granted, she could have been and he wouldn't be able to tell since he didn't quite understand any of the social standings in this time period.

But before Kagome could say anything, Mama Higurashi answered, "Sometimes, when a father has a daughter, he treats her like royalty. Kagome was his little princess. He loved her more than life itself." Mama Higurashi knew that Inuyasha's parents had passed away a long time ago, leaving him an orphan, though, Kagome wouldn't dive into the details since she felt it wasn't her business to tell. Still, it was enough to know that Inuyasha most likely didn't experience a parent-child dynamic enough to really understand how much a child means to the parent. She felt sad for him in that sense, which was one of the reasons she had grown so fond of him. It had at one point been her mission to expose him to a loving familial relationship whenever he was around. She had begun to see him as her son-figure.

Inuyasha nodded a bit, though didn't say anything. It had always been one thing to know that Kagome must have had a biological father, but it was another to see how much he had loved his daughter.

"Here. This one is ending. I'll show you my favorite of them." The mother exclaimed, grabbing the remote and fast forwarding until an older Kagome appeared on the screen, in a poofy pink dress, "This was when Kagome was only five." Mama Higurashi watched the screen with much delight, reveling in the memories of her late husband with much glee, almost as if she was showing him off.

Kagome's dad came into view, sitting besides the dolled up Kagome, who was standing tall and proud, though her height hadn't reached three feet.

"Hey Kagome, wanna tell mommy what you're playing?" He asked, his smile large and proud as he looked at his little girl. It was the kind of smile that showcased just how much his life revolved around his family. The kind of smile Inuyasha had always imagined his father to have when he had been born, not the he would ever know.

"I'm playing dress up! Today I'm a princess. The princess of Japan! And I'm here to take care of all my people!" She exclaimed, throwing both of her hands in the air in triumph as she introduced her character. Her father only laughed at that statement, still keeping his eyes on his little girl.

"But Kagome, you're a princess everyday aren't you?" He replied, watching her face glow.

"I'm your princess everyday. I'm only the princess of Japan today." She giggled and twirled so her dress picked up and flowed around her. Her large eyes twinkled with joy as the two continued to go back and forth, with her father clearly entertaining the little girl's antics as she explained that she was going to save the kingdom from some giant dragon that she made up. Of course, she needed a knight, to which her father obliged. The camera followed them into the other room, where little Kagome explained that the dragon was there, but had turned invisible. It was at this part that Mama Higurashi cracked up.

"She had some imagination." She laughed, looking over at her daughter with all the love in the world.

"Alright, Princess Kagome, how do I defeat an invisible dragon?" Her father asked, acting as though he believed every second of it.

"You gotta use this wand! It's magical!" She exclaimed as she picked up a glittery stick with a star glued at the top, "And then you gotta say Abracadabra!"

He took the want and grinned, "Alright, you vile beast! No one threatens the princess of Japan on my watch. Abracadabra!" When he shouted the magic word, the little girl jumped for joy, clapping her hands excitedly.

"You did it! You did it!" She exclaimed, as her father picked her up and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Anything for my princess." He replied. That's when the video came to a halt, blackness taking over the screen.

"What happened?" Inuyasha demanded.

"The video ended. That means that Mama had stopped recording." Kagome answered, getting up from her place on the couch, "We should get going now. It's super late and I know I had promised to be back a lot earlier."

He couldn't argue with that logic, though he was curious to see more of these home videos. Not that he would admit that to anyone. Still, he reluctantly got up and gave the TV once last look before walking out with the priestess, who had waved goodbye to her family and began walking towards the exit. He thought it was uncharacteristically quick, how she just got up and left as soon as the video was done. He had figured she was going to reminisce with her family a bit more, even if it was just for a few moments. Still, he wasn't going to complain. It was the first time he had seen her initiate the goodbyes to her family in a long time.

As they stepped out of the house, they slowly and silently made their way to the well, as though the hands on the clock had decided to take their time circling about. The hanyou watched the priestess, who was calm as she took each step, but he felt there was something off with her demeanor. He couldn't put his finger on it though, and he didn't have the slightest clue where to begin figuring it out. He had never had the best intuition.

However, as they approached the Goshinboku, which they had routinely passed whenever they were walking to the shrine, Kagome made an abrupt stop, turning her body to face the tree, as her head lifted upwards to gaze at it. Inuyasha quickly followed her gaze, wondering if she had perhaps saw something at the top that had commanded her attention. But when he looked, he couldn't pinpoint any oddities. It was the same old branches on the same old tree that had lived for hundreds and hundreds of years.

"This is where we met. In the past of course." She began, her gentle voice just above a whisper, "But did you know that this is where my father proposed to my mother?"

That questioned caught him off guard and he quickly responded, "Why the hell would I have known that?" Immediately, he felt like such an ass. But she didn't even flinch, rather she just stood there, seemingly composed as though the moment had wrapped her up in complete stillness, unable to move forward. She stayed like that for a bit, with the half-demon watched her, his brow cocked in confusion as he did his best to put together the puzzle that was this woman. But the thick fabric of these few seconds were quickly torn as she broke from statue form as lowered her head a bit, just so it was barely below parallel to her body, though her gaze had fallen to the roots of the Goshinboku.

Finally, Inuyasha had formulated the courage to open his mouth, "Hey... what's up with you? Ya sick or something?"

Kagome looked up at him, her eyes glistening with a layer of moisture that threatened to spill over, but didn't, "I just miss him, sometimes, you know?"

He didn't know what to say to that, but rather became mesmerized by the look about her, how she seemed so happy, yet so sad. Bitter and sweet. He mulled over how someone could so gracefully manage to coherently put two opposites together, while remaining mostly collected and pure at all times.

She stared at him for a bit longer, before realizing that Inuyasha had never actually been given the chance to learn how to comfort others, and that she had put him into an uncomfortable situation. It wasn't that he didn't care, she knew he did deep down, he just couldn't express it well. She looked away to relieve him of the pressure.

And as she did, he managed shake off the uncertainty of what he should be doing in a time like this. "How did he... I mean, what happened to him?"

She widened her eyes a bit, not expecting him to be able to confront the situation like this, "...Car accident. You know those metal carriages? When two are going at top speeds and one crashes into another, people can die. Someone hit my father by accident."

He nodded, though the concept still baffled him.

"I'm being silly." She shook her head, "Let's just go back." Inuyasha bit his lip, his appendage twitching as she said that, he knew full well that she was just trying to appear as though nothing was bothering her. And it was killing him that he couldn't figure out what a good thing to say to her was. In times of physical danger, the hanyou confidently rushed in to help and protect Kagome. But, in times of emotional distress, he was absolutely helpless. So, he just followed her into the shrine without another word, and the two leaped into the well, being swallowed up by light and spit out 500 years into the past.

He held her close, jumping up and out of the well her body pressed against his. It was much quicker than having her do it herself, and she didn't complain as he did. When their feet hit the ground, he let go of her, and the two wordlessly made their way through the forest. The sky was now a deep, navy blue, decorated with stars that looked like Christmas lights. It was just enough for the Kagome to be able to see in front of her, though she still had to wait before her eyes could adjust.

But it was just as she was about to see that her eyes were clouded by something else. She could feel warm tears rushing down her cheeks. _Am I... crying?_ By now, Inuyasha had been a few steps in front of her, and she hoped she could wipe everything off her face before she saw. However, that nose of his was just too damn good, and she knew the moment he stopped in his tracks, he could smell the saltwater dripping from her glistening eyes. She waited, knowing it was just a matter of time before he turned and asked...

"What are ya crying for?" His voice was rough and coarse, something Kagome had gotten used to. Even though throughout their travels, the hanyou had grown fond of her, he still remained harsh in his disposition. Still, she was always able to translate his tough exterior into something much softer. He looked at her, his golden eyes studying her expression as best he could to try to determine what the cause was.

"I... I guess..." She shook her head, the tears still leaking out, "It still hurts sometime. Do you ever miss your mother?"

He paused, casting his stare off to the side, "... Keh, I... I guess."

"My father, he used to tell me he would slay all the monsters for me." She whispered, "Guess it's kind of ironic... I have to fight without him." She wiped her tears and tried her best to stop them from falling, though it couldn't be helped.

"Did he fight demons?" Inuyasha questioned innocently.

"No. He meant figurative monsters. Like all of my fears. When I was scared of the dark, he would help me fight that fear until I conquered it." She thought of the way her father would support her, make her feel strong, "He's the reason I'm not so afraid to take risks. He taught me how to confront my problems. He was always there for me when I was sad, when I needed him."

They both stayed in silence for a bit, but after a while, Inuyasha reached out and grabbed her wrist, leading her back to the Goshinboku, where we motioned her to sit besides him. _This is what people do to comfort others, right? Keh, she ain't complaining, so it's gotta be doing something._

"Tell me more about him, your dad." The hanyou said, trying not to sound as rough as usual. He saw the way she looked up at him in surprise, then back down to think a bit.

"He was a fireman. That's what we call people who put out fires and help save people." She began, "That's why I always thought of him as a hero. He told me stories of how he and his friends would swoop into burning building and get everyone out. He'd never leave anyone behind."

"Sounds like you." Inuyasha murmured, though loud enough for her to hear.

"You think so?" She looked up, her eyes almost completely dry now. He could see the hope in her stare as she looked expectantly at him.

"Yeah, o'course." He huffed, "You're always trying to save people. You never let us walk away from a situation where people might get hurt. Keh, gives me a headache sometimes. But, occassionally it pays off. I guess I got your old man to thank for how determined you are." He crossed his arms over his chest out of habit as he spoke, "I always thought you were just like your mom, but now that I know about him, you must've gotten that fight in you from him." He peeked over and she was practically glowing like a star in the shadowy night.

"Inuyasha... do you mean that?" She wondered, feeling a slight blush appear on his face.

"Keh, do I look like a liar to you?" Of course, she knew that was his way of saying yes, so she chuckled and looked up at the sky.

Inuyasha saw the smile on her face, "Wench, are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah, I just realized something." She said, and his ears perked up to find out, "My father may not be able to help fight these monsters, but maybe... maybe that's why I found you. Maybe he knew you would help me."

His eyes widened a bit as he processed what she said. _That's why she found me? We were meant to fight together?_ Now, it was his turn to blush at that comment, while she looked dreamily up at the sky. He decided to join her that, and he swore, just for a moment, cast onto the pale moon was the image of Kagome's father, looking down on him with a soft smile. "Take care of my little girl" a voice whispered, carried away by the wind as the man faded from moon. Inuyasha peeked to the side, but Kagome hadn't appeared to have noticed.

 _That was him. He wants me to watch over her..._ He felt his chest swell with pride as he realized that Kagome's father trusted him from all the way up there, trusted him with the one person he loved more than life itself. _...But wait, Kagome said he helped her conquer things other than demons. He helped her conquer her fears, too. And helped her when she was sad, and when she needed him. Could I do that? Doesn't she need him right now?_ He looked over at her, and he could tell at this moment, that she was trying to reach out and feel her father. She needed him. But that man wasn't there anymore. Now, it was just her and him sitting beneath this fateful tree.

"Kagome..." He mumbled, causing her to look over at him, "Maybe I could... comfort you tonight."

Her jaw almost dropped at those words. He had never asked to do something so vulnerable, to open himself up to being there for her emotionally. She was hesitant at first, but when she looked deep into his eyes, she could see that he was serious.

"...Okay." She caved in, wondering what he planned on doing. But he quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her as close as he could, before instructing her to rest her head on his shoulder. She stayed like that for a bit, feeling her body fit perfect against his as they soaked in each other's presence like eager sponges. Her breathing had become slow and steady as she began to feel a delicate warmth build up in the pit of her stomach. Though the night was presenting a chilled breeze, she didn't feel in the slightest big cold. And she wondered if she could attribute that to his body being naturally more heated due to his dog demon heritage, or the fact that being near him set off a flame deep inside of her. But she didn't care much to figure that out because that would take time away from the moment in front of her. She didn't want to lose a second.

Inuyasha had subconsciously leaned his head on top of hers, finding that she did a pretty good job of supporting him, too. Without noticing, he reached over and grabbed her hand, just holding it as he shut his eyes to relax, feeling at peace for the first time in a long time. Their hair intertwined, strands meeting each other like lost lovers. He could practically feel the heat from her blush emanating from her skin, but by the time he had even realized the move he had made, he didn't have it in him to take it back.

"Kagome... I want you to be by my side, so that I can protect you from all sorts of things." He began, for the first time pushing his ego to the side, "Not just demons and stuff, but maybe from other things, too. Like fears and all that."

 _He wants to... protect me like my dad did?_ In truth, the priestess didn't know what to say. But as the seconds passed and the tenderness of the moment crept in, she couldn't help but agree.

"I'd like that, Inuyasha." She whispered into him, "I'd like that a lot."

"That means you always have to come back, though." He mumbled.

She raised her head to look at him, for the first time realizing that he feared that one day, she wouldn't return come back. _Is it because he's a half demon? Maybe all those years of rejection and isolation, he just expects people to leave him. Has he always been worried that I won't want to come back? That must be why he has a fit whenever I'm not back the second I said I would._ She pondered the possibility, while studying every aspect of his face, from his pointed nose, to his thin lips, all the way back up to those golden eyes she had learned to love.

"Inuyasha, I'll always come back." She lifted her hand and pressed it gently against his cheek, "You don't have to worry about that."

They looked at each other for a long time, his lips slightly parted in disbelief. She didn't want to leave him. She wanted to be by his side. He couldn't take the outpour of emotions that came from being really accepted by someone. And through her gaze, he could see that she meant it. Him, as a half-demon and nothing else.

She leaned against him again. And for the rest of the night, they stayed pressed up against each other, feeling at peace.

 _I'll do my best for you._ They both thought, as they drifted asleep.

 **This was my first go at a fluffy one shot like this. Not gonna lie, it was kind of fun. I usually aim for a definitive conclusion on their relationship, but I like how this feels like it could be a random episode in the middle of the series as just a step in their relationship. And it's cute and I feel captures a bit more of Kagome's past.**

 **So let me know if you like it and if you think I should do more of these!**


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